Moms Talk: Is Your Family Ready for a Natural Disaster?

The images of devastation in Japan are sobering for us all. As a mother of small children it is particularly frightening looking at photos of Japanese families being evacuated from their homes and tested for radiation levels. I tend to be in denial about the possibility of disaster, even living in earthquake-prone Los Angeles. My denial is ironic given that my father worked for FEMA for many years. I read the news and I am aware that tragedies happen, but not here, I rationalize, not to us.

My thinking is a coping mechanism I suppose, as if I let my mind wander through all the machinations of "what ifs," I would surely not be able to function. Plus, as a mother, I know that my role is to be strong and to assure my children that they are safe. So, I push my fears aside, until the front page of the newspaper hits my dining room table and reminds me that disasters do occur, and they could happen to us. Which leads me to the question how prepared am I? How prepared are you?

Here are some helpful earthquake preparedness assesments I've re-visited this week that you may want to discuss with your family.

Earthquake Essentials

Let’s start with basics: The earthquake kit. I scoured the Internet and came up with a list of earthquake kit essentials. I remembered that we had put together a makeshift kit years ago, which lives somewhere in the garage. Or is it in the basement? And if it's the garage, what if the power is off? Can I  open the garage door? Can I find it in the garage among boxes of holiday decorations and sporting gear? What is even in in the kit? If there’s water, it's surely past its drink-by date. If there are kids clothes, they are way too small by now.  Diapers—we’ve outgrown those. So, even as a generally well-informed mom, even a “mommy blogger expert,” I confess, my earthquake kit is pretty useless.

So in an effort to get all of our kits up to date, here are some ideas of what one should contain. This list pulls suggestions from The Red Cross, The Department of Homeland Security and FEMA sites, all of which are great resources.

My list includes: three days' supply of nonperishable food; flashlights; portable battery-powered radio; water (one gallon per person per day); chlorite tablet or chlorine bleach to purify other drinking water; dust mask; cell phone with charger or solar charger; pet food and supplies; clothes; blankets or sleeping bags; pens; duct tape;, scissors; extra set of house and car keys; cups,  plates, eating utensils; feminine supplies; matches in a waterproof container; extra eyeglasses, important family documents including insurance information; garbage bags; manual can opener; first aid kit plus any essential medicines; work gloves; sneakers or boots; and diapers, wipes, formula, bottles, baby food, games and toys.

Have cash on hand too. A friend reminded me that after the Northridge earthquake in 1994, ATMs were down.  One dollar bills were especially handy to have.

Know Your House

Also something to consider: What is your family’s evacuation plan? Do you have one? Have you actually practiced it?  I know somewhere we have a ladder that can drop down off an upstairs balcony, but again, I am not sure where that's stashed.

When I look around my house, one feature I love is how light and sunny it is because there are so many windows. Friends of mine who lived through the Northridge earthquake recalled how much glass shattered in their homes or apartments during the shaking. One friend who experienced that stores a pair of sneakers under her bed. In case an earthquake happens in the night, she has shoes handy, and can navigate a treacherous floor. That is something to consider and discuss with your kids. I can imagine my 6-year-old paying no regard to the fact that broken glass could seriously hurt him.

It is also important to look around at anything that could fall, break or cause a fire. Most new houses come with an automatic safety valve that shuts off gas. Make sure you know how to shut off electricity, gas and water if yours is an older house and there is no safety valve. 

Talking to Your Kids

As daunting and unpleasant as it is to imagine a major earthquake, it is important to be prepared and also to talk to your kids about the possibility of an earthquake. When I picked up my kids from school the day of the quake, they started the conversation. “There was a terrible earthquake in Japan, and a big wave," my daughter said. "There may be waves here, but they will be small." I reassured them that that was true. Local parenting expert Betsy Brown Braun, the author of one of my favorite parenting books, Just Tell Me What to Say, has some great advice.

She writes that the single most important message to convey is: “You are safe. I know how to keep you and our whole family safe. That is my job. We are all safe now, and we will continue to be safe.” 

As I write this, I feel my own guilt in knowing that I need to make more of an effort to be prepared in case of an emergency so the next time I say those words to my children, I actually believe them.

Lee Rose Emery shares her adventures as a mom in the carpool lane at LACityMom.com.